Sonics’ skid hits 7
SEATTLE – Ryan Gomes led seven Minnesota players in double figures with 23 points and 15 rebounds, and the Timberwolves pulled away in the final 16 minutes to beat the Seattle SuperSonics 121-116 Friday night.
The teams, two of the three worst in the Western Conference with a combined 99 losses and battling to have more pingpong balls in the NBA draft lottery, took advantage of the other’s deficiencies to play an entertaining, fast-paced, style. But when Minnesota decided to put forth a little defensive effort in the final 1 1/2 quarters, the Timberwolves managed to pull away.
Randy Foye scored 21 points and Al Jefferson added 16 as the Timberwolves moved closer to the Sonics, trying to climb out of last place in the Northwest Division. Minnesota won its third straight road game, yet another sign of improvement for the team.
Kevin Durant scored 24 points and Jeff Green added 18, but the Sonics dropped their seventh straight, playing their first home game in nearly two weeks after a seven-game road swing.
The Timberwolves took control in the latter stages of the third quarter, taking advantage of Seattle’s foul trouble and converting at the free-throw line. Minnesota scored 10 straight points at the line, part of a 16-2 run that was capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Rashad McCants and Gomes for a 92-82 lead.
Minnesota then scored the first four points of the fourth quarter, pushing the lead to 101-88 on McCants’ basket with 11 minutes left. Seattle started chipping away, and Green’s contorting three-point play with 6:05 left got the Sonics within 105-100.
But Jefferson scored consecutive baskets for Minnesota, the second bullying through a double-team of Durant and Chris Wilcox to put the Timberwolves up 109-103. Kirk Snyder’s three-point play moments later pushed the lead back to eight. Seattle never got closer than five.
McCants added 13 and Corey Brewer and Craig Smith both scored 11, all off the bench. The Timberwolves reserves outscored Seattle’s 41-34.
Seattle shot nearly 64 percent in the first half and led 60-57.
Agreement reached in OKC
The SuperSonics and Oklahoma City have reached a preliminary agreement on a lease at the Ford Center pending NBA approval of the team’s relocation.
The 15-year deal calls for the SuperSonics to pay the city $1.6 million annually for use of the building and reimburse $409,000 a year to replace revenue from naming rights for the arena.
The deal would not become official unless NBA team owners approve the Sonics’ relocation in a meeting next month and until the team can escape its lease in Seattle that runs through 2010.